1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a concealable buckle apparatus for securely supporting a rope for holding cargo on a truck.
2. Related Prior Art
A truck is often used to transport cargo. When the cargo includes many items that are physically separate, ropes are often used to tie these items on the truck in order to avoid the items falling firm the truck during transportation. To support the ropes, a plurality of hooks is formed on the truck. However, these hooks may accidentally hook something or someone that happens to appear beside the truck. The accidental hooking may cause damage to property and/or people.
To avoid the above-mentioned problem, a concealable hook apparatus has been proposed in Taiwan Patent Publication No. 489962. This conventional concealable hook apparatus includes a panel 1 and a hook 4. The panel 1 defines a slot 12. The hook 4 is formed with a base 41. When idle, the hook 4 can be concealed via the panel 1. In use, the hook 4 can be inserted through the slot 12. The base 41 abuts the panel 1 so as to avoid disengagement of the hook 4 from the panel 1. The hook 4 is shaky relative to the panel 1. The hook 4 is shaped like the letter xe2x80x9cC.xe2x80x9d A rope hooked on the hook 4 may be accidentally disengaged from the hook 4 due to vibration that inevitably happens during transportation.
The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art.
It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a concealable buckle apparatus for securely hooking a rope for holding cargo on a truck.
According to the present invention, a concealable buckle apparatus includes a supporting element, a buckle, a locking device and a panel. The buckle is pivotally mounted on the supporting element between an extended position and a concealed position. The locking device is movably mounted on the supporting element between a locking position for locking the buckle in the concealed position and a releasing position. The panel is mounted on the supporting element and defines an opening through which the buckle extends in the extended position and a slot through which the locking device is accessible.
The supporting element may define a recess for receiving the buckle.
The buckle may include a shaft formed with two ends and a U-shaped element formed with two lateral portions connected with the shaft and a central portion formed between the lateral portions for supporting a rope.
The recess may include two lateral walls each defining a groove for receiving one of the ends of the shaft of the buckle.
The buckle may define a recess. The locking device may include a latch for insertion in the recess defined in the buckle. The recess defined in the buckle may be a groove. The latch may be a longitudinal element for transverse movement into the groove.
The locking device may include a switch connected with the latch. The switch may define a hole into which an end of the latch is forced.
The concealable buckle apparatus may include a torque spring for biasing the buckle from the concealed position to the extended position.
The torque spring may include a U-shaped portion, two helical portions each extending from an end of the U-shaped portion and two linear portions each extending from one of the helical portions. The U-shaped portion of the torque is connected with the U-shaped element of the buckle. The helical portions are mounted on the shaft of the buckle. The linear portions are connected with the supporting element.
The concealable buckle apparatus may include a compression spring for biasing the switch in order to move the latch from the releasing position to the locking position.